Training camp draws fans from far and near

Packer fans from all over the state and country flocked to Green Bay for the first day of the team's training camp ahead of the upcoming NFL season. (July 30, 2015).
Hanaa' Tameez | Press-Gazette Media

Keith Rearicks from California and Charles Dailey from Virginia have two things in common.

They both love the Green Bay Packers, and they both traveled long distances to be among the more than 2,000 people at Ray Nitschke Field for the first day of Packers training camp.

Rearicks, a native of Ohio, moved to California when he was 18 years old. This week, he visited a grandchild in Minnesota and then made a stop in Green Bay before driving to drop off his daughter at college.

He swears he has never cheered for the Cleveland Browns or the San Francisco 49ers.

“This is a dream come true,” he said. “I have been to Green Bay a couple of times in the past, but I’ve never been to a training camp. I’ve been out here since 6 a.m. just taking everything in. My hair on my arms hasn’t gone down yet. This is just a thrill.”

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Connor MacLeod, 9, from Waukesha, sports a pair of Green Bay Packers sunglasses while waiting in line with his bike before Packers training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2015.
Evan Siegle/Press-Gazette Media/@PGevansiegle

“The first game I watched was Green Bay versus the Broncos in the Super Bowl and Brett Favre was amazing,” he said. “It’s amazing watching all of the players and watching the practice and preparation that it takes for the season. This is the most important time of the year.”

Of course, not everyone who attended Tuesday’s practice had to drive hundreds of thousands of miles to see the 13-time World Champions.

Ben Rambo arrived at Lambeau Field from Appleton at 6:30 a.m. with his bike ready to go. He, like many other kids, brings a bike for a player to ride to Ray Nitschke Field.

Unlike many of the anxious riders, the 14-year-old already had his bike reserved.

Three years ago, then-rookie Andy Mulumba climbed onto Rambo’s bike for the first time. And it wouldn’t be the last — Mulumba is now Rambo’s season rider each year.

Rambo said he and his family have become close friends with Mulumba. He owns a No. 55 jersey and knows what time the linebacker will come out each day.

“We’ve just grown into having such a good relationship,” Rambo said. “Every day I come, it’s good to see him. He’s really nice, friendly, and I can tell him anything.”

Everyone has their own reason for attending training camp. For some, like Alex Hahlbeck of Appleton, it is a time to see how the rookies and new players play. For others, like Scot Sticha of Green Bay, it is more about the experience of seeing the players up-close.

“I love to watch the new guys come in and see how they’re going to stack up,” said Sticha “But I love the interaction in general. My favorite days are the first one because it’s right around the corner to the season and the last one when all of the players come up along the stands and give high-fives to the fans. I think that’s awesome because you can’t experience that anywhere else in the NFL.”

As people who bleed green and gold look ahead to the upcoming season, they all know one thing’s for sure. No matter how good or bad their beloved team plays, they will be there in support.

“I live in an area where they cheer for San Francisco,” Rearicks said. “And all it is, is whiners. I’ve been to Packers games where they’ve played the 49ers in California, and these fans are gone, walking out when there’s a couple of minutes left and they still have a chance to win the game! They’re fair-weather fans. If they were to have a losing season, they aren’t going to the games.

“But here, I’ve been through decades when the Packers were at the bottom, after Lombardi left. It was a tough time. But people stayed true.”

— mvanlanen@greenbaypressgazette.com and follow her on Twitter @MorganVanLanen.